NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE

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Description: Terrestrial herb, to 45 cm high, growing singly.

Leaf 30–40 cm long, 3–6 mm wide, dark green, shiny.

Inflorescence a spike 7–15 cm long, 20–30-flowered, dense. Flowers greenish brown to brownish and white, thin-textured, sweetly-scented. Dorsal sepal narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 11–14 mm long. Lateral sepals 11–15 mm long, widely divergent. Lateral petals narrowly linear, 9–12 mm long, apex subacute to obtuse. Labellum 12–15 mm long and 3–5 mm wide, narrowly oblong when flattened, lamina strongly recurved, margins undulate to crisped. Callus plate yellow to yellowish green, ending just below the bend in the lamina. Column with wings oblong; rostellum higher than column wings.

Capsules not seen.

Flowering: September–October

Distribution and occurrence: Apparently restricted to the Pilliga region on the North Western Slopes.

In woodlands among shrubs on deep sandy loams derived from sandstone.
NSW subdivisions: NWS

AVH map***

Prasophyllum pilligaense is a member of the P. patens-P. odoratum species flock, and critical comparison with other members of this flock, including P. beatrix and P. incompositum by population genetic data is required. Described as allied to P. odoratum, but differing by its much larger, crowded, spidery-looking, greenish brown to brownish flowers (15-20 x 12-16 vs 14-16 x 10-12 mm), widely spreading, longer narrow lateral sepals with strongly involute margins (11-15 vs 8-10 mm), widely-spreading long, thin petals and a larger narrowly oblong labellum with a broader (2.5-3 vs 1.5 mm wide) yellow, ovate-tapered callus.